HEALTH & SAFETY: Malaria No More

The Red Cross is proud to support Malaria No More.

Just $10 can buy a bed net and save a life.

AWARD: Adam Rae Receives Highest Red Cross Award

Adam Rae recently received the highest award the Red Cross can bestow on a hero, the Certificate of Merit, for his life sustaining efforts performed when he was just sixteen years old. We are fortunate to have a young man like Adam as an instructor and a friend.

For the full story, read these articles:

• Windsor Beacon
• Fort Collins Coloradoan
• Greeley Tribune

EVENT: National Make a Difference Week

October was a busy month at the Centennial Chapter. In addition to two major fires (Sterling & Ft. Collins), Ken Williams, chapter CEO, was called to East Texas to work on a flood disaster.

We also had the pleasure of hosting a crew of volunteers that worked for three days to improve the Fort Collins office during Make a Difference Day that is promoted by United Way. For most of the country, the event lasts a day, but in Larimer County we can have projects for up to a week.

Guy Verbest, QA engineer from HP, partnered with the chapter to organize projects for more than 30 volunteers. The majority of the workers were from Hewlett Packard and the City of Fort Collins, though we also appreciated the contributions of the unaffiliated volunteers who helped as well.

Projects included painting the building’s exterior trim, painting the first floor entry way and main office, and landscaping. Two teams also painted and organized the three storage sheds and built shelves in one of them.

We would also like to thank the corporate sponsors for the projects. Sherwin Williams donated the interior and exterior paint. Sutherlands donated the wood and brackets for the shelves in the storage shed. Also, Crackerjack Mud Jacking did an amazing job of leveling our sidewalk and stairs. We are grateful to these three companies for contributing to the great work that was accomplished by the volunteers.

To finish the month, we took a break long enough to take a Halloween picture.

EVENT: Come Hell or High Water '06

“Come Hell or High Water,” the new signature event for the benefit of the local Centennial Chapter of the American Red Cross was held September 23, 2006. The event featured notable recording artists Orleans and The Steven Manshel Band. “Gourmet Grazing” was provided by several caterers and featured a wide array of hors d'oeuvres and foods.

Co-chaired by Nancy McBryde of Windsor and Steve Manshel of Loveland, sponsors included many leading northern Colorado businesses. Presenting sponsors were WRC Corporation and Post Modern Development. The Lavin Family Foundation, United Western Bank and EMC2 rounded out the largest sponsors. Also participating were the Monfort Family Foundation, Advanced Energy, LaFarge, Woodward Governor, Home State Bank Trust Department, the McWhinney Foundation, and several table and in-kind sponsors.

EVENT: Come Hell or High Water

Come Hell or High Water, the best charity party in northern Colorado, returns for its second year. Orleans ("Still the One" and "Dance with Me") will headline the event, and the Steve Manshel Band will also perform.

We're going to have gourmet food, live and silent auctions and drinks. Relive the best of the 70s and 80s in this casual, fun and lively event.

Leave the tux and tight shoes at home. Come ready to relax and dance, enjoy your adult friends, eat, drink, and merrily support your local Red Cross all at once.

Sign up on our website or call 226-5728.

September 23, 2006

6:00 p.m. to Midnight (or later)
Behind Thunder Mountain
September 23, 2006
Dress is Corporate Casual

2008 Olympics in Beijing

Red Cross to join in service for 2008 Olympic Games (People's Daily Online, 09 Sept 2006)

"The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) will provide emergency rescue training and health knowledge for volunteers for the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, according to the organization on Friday.

"Agreed by the Beijing's Olympic Organizing Committee, the RCSC will have one first-aid person for every 80 to 150 volunteers."

Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES)

With Red Cross, soldiers are just a phone call away (Sun-Herald, 09 September 20006)

"I want to remind any of you who may have family or friends in the military about what you need to do if you must get an emergency message to a soldier.

"Whether they are stationed stateside or overseas, you must go through your local Red Cross chapter to start the message.

"Our phone is manned 24 hours a day. Our Red Cross worldwide emergency communication network operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"We will help you or your family send emergency messages regarding the death or serious illness of a family member, the birth of a child, or other family emergencies. The Red Cross can provide you and your loved ones with fast, reliable information to help make decisions regarding emergency leaves, deferments, compassionate reassignments and dependency discharges.

"The Red Cross collaborates with the military aid societies in providing financial assistance when an urgent personal or family crisis arises -- that is, when you might need financial assistance for emergency travel, burial of a loved one, or urgent health and welfare needs such as food and shelter."

Red Cross Ship on Rescue Mission

Red Cross ship will rescue hundreds from siege city (Times Online, 22 Aug. '06)

"AN AID ship loaded with tonnes of food and medicine was preparing to sail to Jaffna last night as the UN said a humanitarian catastrophe was looming in the besieged Sri Lankan city. The vessel, flying the Red Cross flag, is expected to pick up hundreds of people, nearly all of them Tamils with foreign nationality, including around 60 British citizens who have been trapped for a week.

"Electricity and telephone lines in Jaffna have been cut and food prices are spiralling as the area around the city has suffered airstrikes and bombardments in the past week. Yesterday hundreds of people were queueing outside the Red Cross offices hoping for a passage on the aid ship, but only foreign passport holders and some wounded civilians were expected to be allowed to board. The vessel’s departure has been delayed by heavy monsoon rains in Colombo, but it is expected to arrive tomorrow after a 50-hour voyage.

"Jaffna is controlled by the Sri Lankan Government, but is cut off from the rest of Sri Lanka by rebel territory. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have closed the city’s airport with artillery strikes and effectively cut sea links with the threat of suicide speedboat attacks."

ICRC Supports Returning Families

News -- Red Cross helps returnees (Reuters.com, 21 Aug. '06)

"As thousands of people stream back to their wrecked homes in south Lebanon, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is scaling up its operation to support at least 200,000 returnees each month until the end of the year.

"The British Red Cross is actively supporting the humanitarian effort, with two logisticians delivering aid from Cyprus and one of our delegates co-ordinating relief operations in Syria with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

"We are also sending 227,000 ready-made meals to those most in need in Lebanon. As the long-awaited cease-fire holds, thousands of people are now returning home to face new difficulties including a lack of electricity, water and food. The level of destruction varies drastically but many private homes and even hospitals have been badly damaged.

"Red Cross convoys carrying food, medical supplies and fuel for generators have taken to the roads in a major effort to reach villages and towns that have been cut off from the outside world for weeks. "